Vacuum cleaner nozzle



NOV- 22, 1966 c. T. FRoMKNEcHT 3,286,295

VACUUM CLEANER NOZZLE 2 SheeLS-Shee l Filed Dec. 4, 1964 FIG.I.

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VACUUM CLEANER NOZZLE Filed DGO. 4, 1964 v 2 Sheets-Sheet Z WITNEssEsINVENTOR maf/WMM Charles T Fromknechi ATTORNEY United States Patent O3,286,295 VACUUM CLEANER NOZZLE Charles T. Fromknecht, Anderson, S.C.,assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 415,914 Claims.(Cl. 15-410) This invention relates, in general, to canister vacuumcleaners and, more particularly, to a nozzle attachment for usetherewith.

M-ost nozzle attachments lare connected to a vacuum cleaner by means ofa flexible hose and joined sections of metal tubing. A terminal orcoupling member attached to one end of the vhose serves to connect thatend to the cleaner. The other end of the flexible hose is attached toone of the metal tubes while the Iother one of the tubes provides theconnection from the first tube to the nozzle attachment.

In many instances, a section of metal tubing is permanently secured tothe nozzle attachment. When this is done, the nozzle attachment become-sbulky and is thus more costly for packaging. In other instances, thetube and nozzle are packed separately to reduce packaging costs and theuser is left to yassemble the tube to the nozzle |attachment. Theassembly, however, is not permanent, therefore, the parts may beinadvertently disassembled while 'being used.

Accordingly, it is the general object of this invention to provide a newand improved nozzle attachment for a vacuum cleaner.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a new andimproved nozzle attachment and tube connector which are easy to assembleand which cannot be inadvertently disassembled.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved nozzle.attachment which facilitates reducing the cost of packaging 1thereoffor shipment to the user.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds and features of novelty whichcharacterize the invention will be pointed out in particu'larity in theclaims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a 'better understanding of the invention, reference may be had tothe accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a rear elevational View, partly in section, of a vacuumcleaner nozzle attachment;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 isa side elevational view of a portion of a connector tube;

FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG. 2, but has the connector tube of FIG. 3inserted therein;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but wit-h the connect-or tube in arotated position;

FIG. 7 'is =a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line VII--VII ofFIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is ra View similar to FIG. 6, but with the connector tubeinserted into the nozzle attachment beyond the position shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but with the connector tube in asecond rotated position; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view, partly in section, as viewed from the'line X-X of FIG. 2.

`Referring tothe drawings, especially FIGS. 1 and 2, reference character10 indicate-s generally a vacuum cleaner nozzle structure comprising agenerally rectangular body 11 and a bottom cover plate 12 constitutingthe bottom face of the nozzle and which is removably at- ICC Itached tothe body in any suitable manner. The body vand cover plate may be moldedfrom a suitable metal or plastic material.

Asbest shown in FIGS. l and 2, the body 11 has an integrally formedenlanged housing portion 13 for receiving a connector tube 14 in amanner to be hereinafter described. The tube may be utilized to connectthe nozzle to a metal conduit which, in turn, is connected to a suctiondevice by a flexible hose of the usual type.

FDhe enlarged housing portion 13 which extends to the 'rear of the body11 (see FIG. 2) is provided with an axial bore 16 and a slot 17coext'ensive therewith. The connector tube 14 is provided with anintegrally formed or stamped projection 18 on the outer wall thereof(see FIGS. 3 and 7). As the connector tube is inserted in the b-ore 16fthe stamped projection passes through the slot 17. A partition 19(FIGS. 4, 5 and l0) serves to limit the travel of the tube within the'housing portion 13. rIlhe partition 19 is provided with an arch-shapedopeni-ng 20 which will be discussed hereinbelow. The connector tube 14is adapted to rotate within the bore 16 to effect engagement of theprojection 18 with the top surface o-f 4a lock member 21 (bestillustrated in FIG. 10). The lock member, which is biased upwardly by aleaf type spring 22 may be depressed by the projection thereby -enablingfurther penetration of the tube into the housing portion 13 (see FIG.8).

The lock member 21, m-ade from any 4suitable material, for example,plastic, comprises an .inte-gral struct-ure having an enlarged centralportion 23 intermediate a pai-r of laterally extending wings 24.Referring to FIGS. 5 and 10, the central portion 23 is positionedbetween the vertical wal'l portions 26 of the arch-shaped opening 20 inpartition 19. The laterally extending wings 24 are disposed intermediatethe partition 19 and an oppositely disposed wall or partition 27. Thelock member 21 is provided with a concave surface 25 which as viewed inFIGS. 7 and l0 cooperates with an arcuate portion 20 of the arch shapedopening of partition 19 to form a circular opening through thepartition.

As viewed in FIG. 8, the connector tube can be advanced to the nextposition, such advancement being limited by a second partition or rib 28having a circular opening therethrough. Since the `projection no longerengages the lock member 21, the latter is free to return to its originalposition due to the restoring force of the spring 22. rllhe connectortube can then 'be rotated to its normal operating position shown in FIG.9. The partition 19 along with the lock member 21 as poi-nted o-utabove, cooperate to form a circular opening -in the partition whichopening is of a smaller diameter than that of the tube 14 including theprojection 28, thereby serving to permanently retain It'he .connectortube 14 within the housing portion 13. It will be understood, therefore,that once the projection 18 is inserted beyond the lock member 21 (FIGS.8 and 9) the connector tube cannot be withdrawn without removing thebottom cover plate 12.

The cover plate 12 (FIG. 2) is provided with a suction inlet 29 and hasa brush member 31 suitably attached thereto, the brush member beingAadapted to loosen the dirt from a pile of the carpet being cleaned. Asviewed in FIGS. 5 and l0, the cover plate supports the spring 22 withinthe housing portion 13 which spring, in turn, supports the lock member21 for movement between a rst and second position as illustrated byFIGS. S `and 7, respectively.

While there has been shown and described what is at present consideredto be the preferred embodiment of the invention, modications theretowill readily occur Ito those skilled in the art. It is not desiredtherefore that the invention be limited .to the specific arrangementsshown and described and it is intended to cover in the appended claimsall such modifications as fall w-ithin the true spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is -cl-aimed is:

I1. `A nozzle for a vacuum clean-er having a suction device, said nozzlecomprising: a generally rectangular body member having a cover platesecured at the bottom thereof, an enlarged housing portion formedintegr-ally with said body member and extending to the rear thereof, aconnector :tube for attaching the nozzle to the suc- Ition device, aprojection on said tube, said enlarged housing portion being providedwith a longitudinal bore and a groove coextensive therewith, said`connector tube being insertable in said bore and said projection insaid g-roove, locking means in said housing portion, first imeans insaid housing portion for limiting travel of said tube, said projectionbeing adapted to cooperate with said locking means for permittinginsertion of said tube beyond said first limiting means, second means insaid housing por7 tion cooperating with said projection for limiting theextent of insertion of said tube beyond said first limiting means, saidlocking means and said first limiting means cooperating with saidprojection to permanently retain said connector tube in said housingportion.

2. Structure as specified in claim 1, wherein said r-st limiting meanscomprises a partition having an archshaped opening delineated by anarcuate wall and a pair of vertical walls and said locking meanscomprises a concave sur-face cooperating with said arcuate wall to forma circular opening.

3. Structure as specified in claim 2 lincluding bias means supportedinvsaid body member in operative engagement with said locking means foryieldably support- `ing said locking means for movement between a firstand a second position.

4. Structure as specified in claim 3, wherein said projection iscircumferentially non-continuous.

5. Structure as specified in claim 4, wherein said lock means comprisesan enlarged central portion intermediate a pair of laterally dependingwings, said enlarged central portion being disposed intermediate saidvertical walls and said `dependin-g wings being captivated between said-rst and second limiting means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 915,985 3/1909Medovarski 285-86 1,372,297 3/1921 Kennedy 285-317 X 2,318,317 5/1943Lofgren 285-7 ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner.

1. A NOZZLE FOR A VACUUM CLEANER HAVING A SUCTION DEVICE, SAID NOZZLECOMPRISING: A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR BODY MEMBER HAVING A COVER PLATESECURED AT THE BOTTOM THEREOF, AN ENLARGED HOUSING PORTION FORMEDINTEGRALLY WITH SAID BODY MEMBER AND EXTENDING TO THE REAR THEREOF, ACONNECTOR TUBE FOR ATTACHING THE NOZZLE TO THE SUCTION DEVICE, APROJECTION ON SAID TUBE, SAID ENLARGED HOUSING PORTION BEING PROVIDEDWITH A LONGITUDINAL BORE AND A GROOVE COEXTENSIVE THEREWITH, SAIDCONNECTOR TUBE BEING INSERTABLE IN SAID BORE AND SAID PROJECTION IN SAIDGROOVE, LOCKING MEANS IN SAID HOUSING PORTION, FIRST MEANS IN SAIDHOUSING PORTION FOR LIMITING TRAVEL OF SAID TUBE, SAID PROJECTION BEINGADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH SAID LOCKING MEANS FOR PERMITTING INSERTION OFSAID TUBE BEYOND SAID FIRST LIMITING MEANS, SECOND MEANS IN SAID HOUSINGPORTION COOPERATING WITH SAID PROJECTION FOR LIMITING THE EXTENT OFINSERTION OF SAID TUBE BEYOND SAID FIRST LIMITING MEANS, SAID LOCKINGMEANS AND SAID FIRST LIMITING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID PROJECTION TOPERMANENTLY RETAIN SAID CONNECTOR TUBE IN SAID HOUSING PORTION.